11x04 - Black Out

[bunniefuu]

GINO: Help me!

Help me!

(THUMPING)

Help me!

Patrick!

(SOFT CHATTER)

♪ ♪

Help... me!

♪ ♪

Gino!

(GROANS) f*ck!

Gino!

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

♪ ♪

Gino?

(MUFFLED THUMPING)

Gino!

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

(GROANS SOFTLY)

Hey, hey, what's going on with you?

- (SIGHS)
- What is it?

Jesus.

They're everywhere.

Fleas? You brought home fleas.

Where the f*ck did you get fleas?!

You think you got those from me?

Patrick, yes, I absolutely
got them from you.

You're covered in them.

I-I'll go to the pharmacy, okay?

- I'll get you some cream. Let me handle this.
- (SIGHS)

Gino, please, please,
let me look at this.

I did not survive yesterday for this.

- (ALARM BEEPING)
- RADIO ANNOUNCER: degrees and climbing

toward a midday high of .

It's shaping up to be
the hottest day of the year.

Oh, well, great.

"At the scene, one Village
resident called for action.

'Seven people d*ed in that fire.

No one is saying that it was arson.

It was. I saw it happen',
said witness Adam Carpenter.

'Maybe we should set
some fires of our own

until something is done about it'.

By Cranston Short".

Who the hell is Cranston Short?

New friend.

- Different tactic.
- Adam,

if you're gonna use a pen name,
you can't also quote yourself

in the same article. It's not ethical.

Ethical? (SCOFFS)

f*ck ethical.

Seven people are dead, Gino. m*rder*d.

Do you know what it smells like
when someone is burning

to death, what that smells like?!

Actually, I do.

So put that in the story.

Put your name on it.

Stop hiding.

I worry this isn't gonna do anything.

I-I feel like we're...

preaching to empty seats with
these personal stories, Gino.

Stop being a coward.

Make some noise. People will listen.

("ANYTHING GOES" PLAYING ON PIANO)

INAPPROPRIATELY KATHY: ♪ In
olden days, a glimpse of stocking ♪

♪ Was looked on as something shocking ♪

♪ But now, God knows ♪

♪ Anything goes ♪

♪ The world has gone mad today
and good's bad today ♪

♪ And black's white today
and day's night today ♪

♪ When most guys today
that women prize today ♪

♪ Are just silly gigolos ♪

♪ And though I'm not a great romancer ♪

♪ I know that I'm bound to answer ♪

♪ When you propose ♪

♪ Anything goes. ♪

(SONG ENDS)

- Is that it?
- Oh, Ms. Pizazz,

I have been coming here to watch you

- for almost ten years, and I am s...
- You're a fan. I get it.

- And I so appreciate it.
- (CHUCKLES SOFTLY)

You are also hired.

Oh. (CHUCKLES)

Weekends, midnight to closing.

Don't be late.

Thank you.

Now get off my stage.

You, too.

- I got eyes in the back of my head, you know.
- Oh, sorry.

I was... I was just waiting
till you had a free moment.

My time is precious. Why
do you think I hired a swing?

I'm Gino Barelli. I work
with The New York Native.

Well, I'm not buying
any more half-page ads

in any more half-assed
gay rags, my friend.

I'm not here to sell you anything.

I just wanted to ask you
a few questions.

Well, my businesses have a rule...

no press, no prying eyes.

As far as the rest of the world
is concerned,

- this place does not exist.
- Well,

then you just inspired
a new spotlight in The Native.

I'm calling it...

"False Friend".

As in false friend to our readers,

the customers that you bleed dry.

- Excuse me?
- One of the young men

who disappeared was last seen here.

And as far as I can tell,

nobody's done anything about it.

So I figure that people need to know

just how little you care.

Threats.

Do you even know about this business?

Do you know who protects this business?

I have no idea. But I do wonder
what they're gonna think

about the money drying up.

Missing kids means empty seats.

And so does bad press.

Huh, I have nothing to say to you.

- Oh. Perfect quote.
- (CLAPPING)

Thank you. "She takes
our money and she runs.

Nothing to add, nothing to contribute.

Take, yes.

Give, never".

Jesus.

We need help. We need you.

KATHY: I get it. I'm Sicilian.

And you?

Calabrese.

- Hard head.
- (CHUCKLES)

I was the grand marshal
at the Pride Parade back in ' .

Two mules and a wagon.

But I was on that wagon.

On it ever since.

I've spent decades in this dungeon.

Quite a comedown from the dressing rooms

of the Plymouth Theatre.

Four flights up,

and every summer

the Shuberts made us
bring in our own fans.

I had three dressers quit on me.

- (CHUCKLING)
- (LAUGHING)

You gays have a weak
constitution, you know that?

- No sh*t.
- (CHUCKLING)

What do you want?

An interview?

Yeah.

Just...

speak on the g*dd*mn record.

I'm not sure it'll help.

How do you know?

Something strange
is happening to this community,

to our community.

Don't you think I know that?

Kids used to come in here
for a sing-along

and-and a daisy chain.

Now? Much darker.

We have an ambulance
roll up once a month,

and I have to call in
a favor to get one.

It frightens me, this change.

This you can quote me on.

(PEN CLICKS)

I am a concerned business owner,

and I am bothered

that no one is investigating
these disappearances.

I say to the police
who service this area,

do more.

Help us.

How many more people have to be gone

before someone does something?

♪ ♪

- (SOFT CHATTER)
- (SIREN WAILING)

Why are we way over here
in the Ninth Precinct? (SIGHS)

You'll have to ask Marzara.

MULCAHEY: Fifth floor.

No elevator.

(SIGHS): Oh, my God.

(INHALES DEEPLY)

(SIGHS, GROANS)

- Come on, Mulcahey. Keep up.
- (DOOR SLAMS)

DANIEL: Let go of me!

Why are you arresting me, huh?

I didn't do that to him. (GROANS)

What the f*ck are you doing?!

Let me stay with my friend!

Please let me stay with my friend.

Please get your f*cking hands off me!

I didn't do that to him. f*ck.

I didn't do anything.

Let me go. Please let me go.

(MULCAHEY EXHALES SHARPLY)

(INDISTINCT POLICE TRANSMISSION)

I'd take as many breaths
as you can right now, boys.

- It gets worse.
- (CREAKING)

(GROANS)

- Whoa.
- (CAT YOWLS)

- Jesus.
- (CAT HISSES)

(MEOWS SOFTLY)

(COUGHING)

(CREAKING)

- (DOOR CLOSES)
- PATRICK: Jesus, that is awful.

In here, gentlemen.

M.E. got here right before you did.

Victim... male, late s.

Something's off.

♪ ♪

Time of death?

Dead a while now. A few days?

But the heat's not
making this any easier.

Decomposing fast.

Cause?

- Never seen anything like this.
- Huh.

Doesn't add up.

And see these contusions?

Massive venous bleeds.

Looks like blunt force trauma.

Responding officer found some
punk on top of the body, crying.

What, you think he's the suspect?

Well, you're looking for
a k*ller with changing methods.

He could be bored.

You got blunt force trauma.

You got flesh wounds around the neck.

Yeah, that wound around the neck...

there's not much blood
there. Postmortem?

Normally I'd say so.
But with the tissue like this...

See these sores?

This degree of infection
on the dermis...

that and the decay are gonna
disguise your answers.

We can't rule anything out.

- Hmm.
- I need to run a complete autopsy.

MARZARA: Window was
open when we came in.

Leads right out to the fire escape.

- Someone come through there?
- No.

No, the f-floor's dirty.

There'd be footprints that
show up all the way along here.

You need to ask that man you
arrested about the open window.

But, uh, he's not a suspect.

I met him.

Pretty confident he wouldn't
b*at a man to death.

He's not a criminal.

- They were blow buddies?
- (CHUCKLES SOFTLY)

Yeah.

- Crime of passion?
- (CHUCKLES)

No.

Well, you're saying
you know the guy, Detective.

So, what exactly is this?

Because you told me to be on high alert

for a serial k*ller, and I-I'm
looking at another gay corpse

with suspicious circumstances.

How long on a complete turnaround?

- Autopsy?
- Uh-huh.

Two weeks.

Okay. We wait.

We wait.

My best guess on that wound there...

cat out there in the hallway
ran out of food.

I'm unsure about
everything else, but, uh...

you can let the guy in custody go.

That I can.

Yes, sir, Detective Read.

Mm.

- I-I can't take this smell anymore.
- Yeah.

We need to transfer
this body to the morgue.

Yeah, I'm, uh...

I'm-I'm gonna stick around
for a bit longer.

I'll, uh...

I'll meet you outside, okay?

(DOOR OPENS)

(DOOR CLOSES)

♪ ♪

(DIAL TONE)

Hey.

It's me.

I, uh...

Yeah, we might have another victim.

(DOOR OPENS)

(DOOR CLOSES)

You're home.

Long night.

Glad it's over.

What the f*ck happened to you?

There was a fire. (SHUDDERS)

At the Ascension. I'm fine.

Mm.

- Don't.
- Checking to see if I can taste anyone on you.

What?

(GRUNTS)

Sam. Get off!

You cannot treat me like that!

- Like what?
- Like...

some piece of ass
you tie up for two days.

I mean, what the hell, Sam?

Do you know that there's a kid
running around out there saying

that you held him c*ptive?

And b*at him up?

- In some dungeon?
- Jesus Christ, Theo.

What, some horny twink
gets drunk and goes for it

and wakes up the next morning
wishing he hasn't.

What? You've been there.

So you don't deny it, then?

What do you want from me, huh?

I-I give you everything.

I bring you everything.
Theo, for Christ's sake,

we let each other f*ck
whoever we want to.

And now you're gonna make
me feel like it's disgusting?

Because you have gone over the edge!

You are dark.

It happened so slowly.
I just didn't realize it.

But there is weird sh*t
going on out there, Sam,

and I keep hearing your
name around all of it.

Anybody who doesn't have what we have

is gonna want to bring the castle down.

(SIGHS SOFTLY)

What is it that you want?

What is it you want?

First, it was silver... trays
and teapots and carving sets.

Then you got tired of all that,
so you moved on to photographs.

And then... (SNIFFLES)
the men in the photographs.

Men you could collect.

And then dispose of.

I'm a collector. I like pretty things.

You don't?

I want simple.

I've got a chance at something good.

With someone good.

(SCOFFS SOFTLY) You are good.

You are so good at getting me...

- ... all riled up...
- (SCOFFS)

... so that I need you again.

So what do you want?

New set of rules?

Your terms?

It's fine.

- (GASPS)
- Or do you really want to leave me again?

You're scaring me.

You think I might k*ll you one day?

Yeah, I think you've got it in you.

You think I'm, what,

going around to dank bars,

slitting throats?

You really think I'm capable of that?

(CHUCKLES): Okay.

No, no, no. You-You've...

You got me, baby.

- (DIAL TONE)
- You figured me out.

Turn me in.

This is f*cking absurd.

Studio gone.

Career over. Gallery?

Forget about it.

- (LINE RINGING)
- (SHUDDERING)

OPERATOR: This is .

What's your emergency?

Hello?

This is . Can you hear me?

(KEYS JANGLING)

♪ ♪

- f*ck you!
- (DOOR OPENS)

(SLICING)

They're saying on the radio
the grid might max out.

Gonna have to brown out certain areas

or the whole thing will go down.

I might go home.

What's this for?

You know Hans?

I don't know Hans.

Hans is dead.

(SLICES)

Not even years old.

Discovered...

decomposing in his bed.

Was he m*rder*d?

He was found alone in his apartment

with giant contusions all over his body.

What do you think?

Hey, what's going on with you
today? Are you okay?

No, I'm not okay!

Calm down, Gino, please.

You know what? I'm so f*cking sick

of everybody telling me to calm down,

to not cause a panic.

We're being picked off one by one.

Why isn't every gay man
in this city scared shitless?

No one cares.

- I care.
- Not enough.

When the f*ck are you gonna step up?

Start treating this like an emergency

because it is.

Once you're dead, it's too late.

♪ ♪

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

♪ ♪

You were right.

Sam is no good for me.

I left him.

We're done.

I wanted to apologize to you.

I was so arrogant.

I just, I didn't want to hear it.

About Sam.

Look, I can't stop thinking about you.

And, uh...

and I know it's way
too hot for all this.

I just needed to show up.

And-and tell you that.

Want to come up for a sip of water?

Yes.

I do.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

(BOTH LAUGH)

Somewhere to be?

Yeah.

I got to get going.

(GROANS)

I'll walk you out.

(CAR HORNS HONKING)

(MACHINE BEEPS)

(HEAVY BREATHING)

(MOANING)

(PHONE RINGING)

Okay, assh*le...

MORRIS: Uh, excuse me, who's an assh*le?

- Did you break a nail?
- Morris?

Listen, did your lights go out?

Yeah. Just now.

(SIGHS) So behind.

They went out here over ten minutes ago.

There's gonna be a legendary
blackout party at The Warehouse.

Everyone's going there
to wait it out together.

Tell anyone you can think of,
but things move fast, chicken,

so loosen your girdle and get moving.

- Wait, Morris...
- (LINE CLICKS, DIAL TONE DRONES)

(PHONE RINGING)

- Read?
- Mm-hmm?

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

- (KNOCKS)
- Chief?

Catch you at a bad time?

No, sir, whatever you need.

What I need, Detective,

is some cooperation.
That call this morning?

- The dead guy?
- Mm-hmm.

So, uh, here's the thing.

This nosy prick Gino Barelli.

He keeps writing about our every move...

every move we make... and I'm getting

a lot of heat from the
commissioner on these leaks.

Sensitive information in
an open investigation like this?

It makes me very upset
that someone at the station

is sharing secrets with some
newspaper for queers.

Yeah, I-I wish I could help you, sir.

You have any idea who it could be?

Are you accusing me of something?

Because I don't think
a police officer's personal life

is official police business.

It is absolutely my business

if you're leaking confidential
information to the press.

I'm a decorated officer.

I'm a detective who
actually solves crimes.

You know that.

I am proud to carry this badge.

And I'm grateful for what
it lets me do for others.

And, yeah, Captain Marzara.

I am a gay policeman.

Nothing about who I am

stops me from doing what I do.

Jesus Christ.

Better get out there.

(KNOCKING)

What the hell are you doing here?

This will be fast. I found something.

And I knew that you would
want to see it right away.

What would make you think that?

'Cause you shouldn't have to go
through what I've been through.

This is really bold.
What if Patrick were here?

I called the station.

I know he's working a double.

I'm not a dum-dum, Gino.

It has been made very clear to me

that I don't even know who Patrick is.

And I am just getting very scared

that he is involved
in something really bad.

Okay, it's what you've been
writing about in your paper.

You know, maybe he's gotten
sucked into something.

Maybe he got recruited, you know?

- He can be very susceptible.
- (GINO LAUGHS)

Why are you laughing?

It's not funny!

This is very serious.

There was, there was
a masked man in leather

running around Central Park,
assaulting people.

Isn't that what you wrote about that?

Barbara, please go home.

I-I don't feel well.

- I'm trying to help you.
- No, no, what you're trying to do,

is to drive a wedge
between Patrick and me.

This is not a secret.

We have been very clear about this.

Okay, then I guess
I'll just call the police.

Because I'm sure the boys at
the station will be very curious

to know what Patrick
gets up to on his days off.

All right, we're done here.

You're harassing us... f*ck!

In case you hadn't noticed, I am, um...

unraveling a little bit, okay?

Can you see that?

I don't even know what I think anymore.

I mean, I don't even know
if I think Patrick's a k*ller.

But I do know that I see
so much of myself in you.

Don't make the same mistake that I did.

Ask him.

Ask him to tell you the truth.

(PHONES RINGING)

You'd have to be an octopus
to man that switchboard.

It's gonna be a long night. Coffee?

Sure.

(PHONE RINGING)

Sixth Precinct.

WHITELY: Ah, Detective Read?

Speaking.

I know you've been looking for me.

(CHUCKLES)

I have my ways of knowing these things.

I'm tired of having to hunt in bars

that smell like piss and come.

But tonight?

No streetlamps.

No lights.

I can k*ll in the open.

Will I ever feel this free again?

How do you know who I am?

We saw each other at the hospital.

And I've seen you around.

In the shadows.

Why don't you let anyone
see that handsome face?

You turn them around so fast
and push them away right after.

Why is that?

Are you afraid of getting caught?

I know how that feels.

No more hiding.

You served, didn't you?

Where was that, huh?

Was that Vietnam, Korea?

We're around the same age,

if that's what you want
to know, Detective.

Government put a g*n in my
hand and taught me to k*ll.

And they took it away once
I taught myself how to love.

Why are you k*lling us?

People only pay attention
to lives when they're lost.

Not when they're living.

It takes so many bodies.

I'm making it all go faster.

A reckoning.

An honoring of people like you and me.

- I'm not like you.
- We'll see.

I want to give your reporter
friend something to write about.

Something memorable.

He's impressive.

Good luck finding me
in the dark park, Detective.

(LINE CLICKS, DIAL TONE DRONES)

Who was that?

That... was a lead.

A big one.

Where are we going?

Central Park.

♪ ♪

Adam.

Get in.

I'm surprised you got
in the car, really.

But don't worry, Adam. I won't
lock you up in some dungeon.

Majed will drop you
wherever you were headed

after our little chat.

I never wanted to get in the way

of whatever you two have going on.

I made that clear to him.

- Truly.
- We have our lines.

And Theo decided to cross them.

I arranged things
so that Theo could exist.

To become Theo Graves,
to remain Theo Graves.

It's in his interests.

It's in your interests.

That, too, so you'll
understand when I say

that I need you

out of the picture.

And I'm happy to ask,
what will that take?

Are you trying to pay me off?

You can stop the car.

(SAM CHUCKLES)

You heard him.

What you're actually
in conflict with, Adam,

is much more complicated.

Theo is at constant battle
with his own boredom.

He will grow bored of you.

He'll come back to me.

He always does.

Come back to what?

Drive.

Stay on the radio.

Channel two.

- (NEARBY RUSTLING)
- (GASPS)

♪ ♪

Mulcahey, I need backup.

(STATIC CRACKLING)

Mulcahey, can you read me?

I said I need backup.

f*ck. Mulcahey!

(GASPS)

NYPD! Freeze! Don't move!

Freeze!

Christ!

(MUTTERING)

- Freeze! Hey! Hey! Hey!
- Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!

It's me! It's me!

Jesus, Patrick. I heard a g*nsh*t.

- What the hell's happened?
- The kid was right.

There's a f*cking lunatic
in a harness out here.

- Keep moving.
- What about that g*nsh*t?

Probably just a bottle rocket.

People getting their
rocks off in the dark.

DANIEL: Wake up.

Wake up. Wake up.

It's not safe.

Bunch of g*dd*mn animals.

Wake up!

♪ No excuse, on the loose... ♪

What do you think you're doing?

Reckless little boys.

- Wake up!
- MAN: What is this?

Is this some kind of performance piece?

(MUTTERING)

Hey, assh*le, next time, half a pill!

- It's not safe.
- (MUSIC STOPS)

- Wake up!
- Enough!

Do not come into my space and start

- moralizing, Daniel.
- How dare you, Cameron?

- It is not safe.
- How dare I what?

Every impulse we're following is good!

- Good? It's good?
- He just had too much.

You're f*cking in the dark.

And Hans is dead!

Hans is dead?

I found him.

And I called the f*cking cops.

And all they would do is blame it on me

or his f*cking little cat!

Hans got sick!

He got sick,

and none of us went to check on him.

And now he is dead.

Are you sick, huh? Am I sick?

- Are we all sick?
- Daniel, this isn't the time.

ADAM: This is exactly the time.

This man has seen something.

It's happening. And it's not going away.

- Who the f*ck are you?
- Look, people...

are dying.

Okay? We are getting
picked off one by one.

Five are dead at the hands
of a serial k*ller,

but there are many more
that we can't explain.

Something's got to change.

We should be thanking him.

He's telling us the truth.

Because none of us are ready
for what's coming next.

- What is coming next?
- I don't know.

But we need to organize.

We will pick a night this week.

And the next week
and the week after that.

Until we know what we're up against.

That's what we can do.

Okay?

Okay.

(DOOR CREAKS OPEN)

(DOOR CLOSES)

Oh, hey.

You're home.

Why are you sitting in the dark?

Huh?

(LIGHTER CLANGS)

(WICKER SPARKS)

I did it, Gino.

The captain knows who I am now.

I came out.

I mean... (STAMMERS)

I didn't tell him everything, obviously.

Obviously.

Yeah, you know, I...

(STAMMERS) we have to be careful here.

Always.

What's this, Patrick?

- Where'd you get that?
- Does it matter?

It's yours.

You know it.

You bought it.

You hid it so no one could find it.

Not the woman you married.

Not...

... whatever I am to you.

You are everything to me, Gino.

All evidence to the contrary.

So, since you're
in a truth-telling mode,

come out to me.

Tell me, tell me, tell me all of it.

Or leave.

Now's the time.

(SIREN WAILING IN DISTANCE)

Okay.

(INHALES DEEPLY)

I've been with other guys.

A lot.

I don't know who they are.

There's no names ever.

- Where?
- Different places.

Never where we sleep.

Ever.

- Ah.
- After it happens,

it's like it never happened,
I leave it all behind.

- Why?
- Why?

Because I've always had to.

You know, but this...

this, right now, you and me,

this is what I need.

Okay? This-this-this other thing

is a compulsion. It'll stop.

- It's not gonna stop, Patrick.
- Yes, it will.

No.

It's not gonna stop.

Look, I don't actually care
if you're out there

getting laid. I can do the same.

We can have a shared agreement.

But, no, you don't want that.

Because it's the lie

that actually gets you off.

And you love that lie

more than you can love me.

That is simply not true.

It's a relief, really.

This all makes sense now.

The... quiet

around this f*cking place.

It's not quiet.

It's shame.

Can't you see how much I've changed?

How much I'm changing,
how much I can change

since I met you.

I left my wife.

I have come out at work.

Today. That happened today.

I came out in the New York
Police Department.

But why? Why, Patrick?

'Cause you only tell the truth

when you're about to be caught.

That, that's shame.

And I...

I can't...

I can't have it in my life.

It's choking me!

It's choking me.

There's this tightness in my heart.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!
What's going on?!

I'll call an ambulance...

(SIRENS WAILING)

You know,

I really hate that we're cutting
through here like this.

No, it's like walking through a bakery.

Even if you don't take a bite,

you still get the sights and smells.

Jesus Christ, they'll never be
enough for you.

(SHUSHING)

- What the f... ?
- No, no, no, no, no, no.

- We need to follow him.
- Follow him? Are you f*cking kidding me?

Yes, yes, this could be
the guy on all those flyers.

We'll call the police tomorrow

and see what they do in-f*cking-stead.

What if this is the guy
that k*lled Hans?

(MONITOR BEEPING)

Hey.

Hey.

What happened?

You collapsed and passed out.

You've been in and out, but, uh,

the, uh, the doctors have been great.

SANDOVAL: You're awake.

Mr. Barelli, I'm Dr. Sandoval.

Good to see you up.

Uh, we're running some tests,
but my thinking is,

this fever can only be
something bacterial.

When you were out, I found
an enlarged lymph node

in one of your armpits.

I-I have to ask.

- Do you live with any cats?
- No.

We don't have cats, why?

What's happened to you,
with the flea bites,

well, they're the hallmarks
of Cat Scratch Fever.

I've started you on antibiotics.

We're gonna keep you right here
where I can see you.

I don't want that fever
spiking back up to .

Thanks.

♪ ♪

(SIREN WAILING IN DISTANCE)

There's power on up there.

(KEYS JINGLING)

- Where are we going?
- To see what apartment he lives in.

There are two of us and one of him.

Whoop, almost missed you.

Six, please.

You guys just move in?

No, we're visiting a friend.

WHITELY: Uh-oh.

I have some matches.

I don't really like small spaces.

Am I safe in here?

I rode in a t*nk in Vietnam.

Now, that was a small, dangerous space.

You're a veteran. Where are you from?

I don't hear an accent, and I have

a pretty good ear for these things.

I'm not from anywhere special.

There's really no point in doing that.

What, are you afraid of the dark?

(CHUCKLES)

(LAUGHS)

(BOTH CHUCKLING)

Oh, you're smelling my groceries.

I buy meat that's maybe

a day or two past expiration.

It's cheaper and it's perfectly fine.

I'm sorry.

I lied to you.

I don't know why I did that.

I hate to lie.

Especially since you know
what's in my bag.